Motor vehicle door lock

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a lock case (1) and also comprising at least one locking mechanism (2, 3) supported in the lock case (1), which locking mechanism consists essentially of a rotary latch (2) and a pawl (3). In addition, a lock housing (5) connected to the lock case (1) is realized. The lock case (1) is mostly L-shaped in the cross-section. In addition, the lock case (1) describes a locking-mechanism plane (G) and an end-plate plane (S) different from the locking-mechanism plane. The end-plate plane (S) is equipped with a bridge part (7), which spans at least one inlet opening (E), and two side parts (6). According to the invention, the lock case (1) is equipped with merely the two side parts (6) bordering the inlet opening (E), without a bridge part. In contrast, the lock housing (5) acts completely or partially as a bridge part (7).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A motor vehicle door latch comprising:
 a latch case; 
 at least one locking mechanism located in the latch case and essentially comprising a catch and a pawl; and 
 a latch housing connected with the latch case, 
 wherein the latch case has an L-shaped cross-section and defines a locking mechanism plane and a front panel plane different therefrom, 
 wherein the front panel plane is defined by a bridging component spanning two lateral components of the latch case and an infeed section defined by an area between the two lateral components with the infeed section being open from the area defined between the two lateral components to past a length of the two lateral components extending along the front panel plane, 
 wherein the latch case is configured in a bridging component-free manner without the latch case having any bridging part that connects the two lateral components along the front panel plane, with solely the two lateral components bordering the infeed section, and 
 wherein the latch housing wholly or partially defines the bridging component that bounds the infeed section between the two lateral components, 
 wherein during an impact on the motor vehicle door latch, the bridging component of the latch housing is configured to absorb forces occurring during the impact whereby a shear force occurring in the area between the two lateral components bordering the infeed section on the front panel plane is reduced or eliminated. 
 
     
     
       2. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the two lateral components are connected to the latch housing. 
     
     
       3. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 2 , wherein a section of the latch housing connecting the two lateral components of the latch case functions as the bridging component. 
     
     
       4. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the latch housing is undetachably connected to the two lateral components of the latch case. 
     
     
       5. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 4 , wherein a clip connection is provided for an undetachable connection between the latch housing and the two lateral components. 
     
     
       6. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the two lateral components are respectively equipped with an aperture for a clip bridge on the latch housing. 
     
     
       7. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the latch housing is configured as two components with a lower shell and an upper shell. 
     
     
       8. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 7 , wherein the lower shell of the latch housing connects the two lateral components of the latch case and has the bridging component. 
     
     
       9. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 8 , wherein the lower shell defines a dividing plane with the bridging component elevated in contrast. 
     
     
       10. The motor vehicle door latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the latch case is made of steel, while the latch housing is made of plastic.